The present invention pertains to circular radius and elliptical radius configurations of guide track assemblies for upward acting doors and including combined mounting brackets for the guide track assemblies and door counterbalance mechanisms.
In the art of upward acting single and multi panel garage doors, and the like, there has been a continuing need to develop door guide track assemblies which are easy to install and which can accommodate door installations where low headroom or low ceiling height conditions are encountered. In particular, there has also been a continuing need to develop simplified guide track mounting brackets which reduce the manufacturing cost and installation time associated with the production and installation of upward acting doors. The present invention meets the above mentioned needs and desiderata and overcomes the disadvantages of prior art guide track assemblies and support structure therefor.
The present invention provides improved guide track assemblies and mounting brackets therefor for use with upward acting garage doors and the like.
In accordance with one aspect of the present invention, improved guide track assemblies are provided which include two piece track assemblies which make up the entire lengths of the track assemblies including the vertical track section, a transition section and a substantially horizontal track section. In one embodiment of the improved track assemblies, the transition section is substantially of circular radius of curvature and each track section includes a curved section of approximately equal circumferential extent.
In another embodiment in accordance with the invention, a two piece track assembly is provided which includes a substantially vertical section, a variable radius of curvature transition section and a substantially horizontal section. The track assembly is adapted for low headroom or low ceiling height installations. In a preferred embodiment of the low headroom track assembly, the radius of curvature is elliptical and the two piece track assembly includes a first vertically extending track section having a minor portion of a curved transition section and the second track section comprises the horizontal section and a major portion of the curved transition section. The elliptical track section is preferably provided with major and minor axes having a length ratio of about 2:1.
In accordance with a further aspect of the present invention, the track assemblies include improved mounting brackets which are also adapted to support counterbalance mechanisms for associated upward acting doors. The mounting brackets preferably comprise formed metal or plastic integral brackets which include elongated slots formed therein to provide for adjusting the positions of the track assemblies with respect to associated support structure including the wall surrounding the door opening. The one piece integral mounting brackets each accommodate selective positioning of the track assemblies with respect to the wall to which the mounting bracket is attached and also eliminate the requirement for a separate, generally horizontally extending bracket part for supporting a track assembly. Moreover, the mounting brackets are advantageously configured to be fabricated of stamped and folded metal plate, for example. Still further, integral mounting tabs or flanges are formed on the mounting brackets to facilitate attachment of the brackets to support structure including the wall surrounding the door opening.
Those skilled in the art will further appreciate the above mentioned advantages and superior features of the invention together with other important aspects thereof upon reading the detail description which follows in conjunction with the drawings.